The Mating Ceremony
by The Dust Sisters
Summary: You are cordially invited to the ceremony of the century, the mating of the reluctant princess and the ice prince. InuyashaxKagome SangoxKouga SesshomaruxOC *Part three of the Compass Trilogy*
1. Chapter 1

Mating Ceremony

By Angel Dust

A SesshomaruxOC, InuyashaxKagome, KougaxSango fic. You've been warned!

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Inuyasha or any of the other characters or the original story line. I DO own my characters, they're as obvious as the nose on your face.

The mating ceremony of the reluctant princess and the ice prince.

Chapter 1

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><p>Nikki sighed as she laid in bed and stared at the ceiling. She was supposed to sleep, get as much rest in anticipation of her mating ceremony the next day. A mission far easier said than done at this point. She was nervous, and she couldn't remember when she had been this nervous before. She sat up and sighed heavily.<p>

"Well, this isn't working," she muttered as she got out of bed and walked to her window. She looked outside to see the moon high in the sky and full. That was a personal requirement, nothing anywhere near the new moon. She refused to be in a full castle on a night she was so vulnerable, despite having Sesshomaru literally through the wall. Courtesy of the last couple of years, Nikki was not comfortable with large groups of people and less so as a human.

She walked around her room and sighed as she sat down at her desk and pulled out some paper, a brush, and some ink. She silently started to write her thoughts and feelings, none of which could possibly be confused for regret or looking like she had changed her mind. She was quite excited to finally be mating Sesshomaru.

Over a year ago, Sesshomaru had asked her to be his mate, and she had returned to the Western Kingdom with him to sort herself out after so much trouble caused by her mother. As she wrote she thought about how her mother would be strutting around the castle if she had been sane and alive with her mating ceremony only the next day. The maids and other servants wouldn't be sleeping but making final preparations, cleaning the floors and such one last time before the last of the guests arrived. Nikki would probably be asleep, not nearly as nervous as she is now, but she didn't believe that truly. No matter what, Nikki knew one truth, she would be this nervous and excited the night before her ceremony.

She heard Sesshomaru shift again, he wasn't asleep either. Youkai don't really require sleep, neither to hanyou. They were ordered to bed just to occupy their time and distract them from the next day. Sesshomaru was already losing his mind slightly, he was harder to pull away from her and much more prone to taking risks, like kissing her softly during the day anywhere but her hand. All that was more due to the fact that it was the very beginning of spring, and most of the males were quite rowdy at this point, only the older ones seemed completely in control of themselves.

"Nikki," Sango whispered as she came into the room. Nikki chuckled and lit a candle, she figured she'd have company eventually.

"What's up Sango?" Nikki asked curiously.

"Can't sleep," Sango said as she stretched a little. "And I think Kouga is out with your brothers checking the perimeter." Nikki smirked and nodded.

"I'm sure, father seems to have this place under tight lock down," Nikki said as Sango sighed and nodded. "So, things are going well with the wolf prince?" Sango blushed a little.

"He's quite nice," Sango said as she thought about it. "He's visited a few times now, father was anxious about a youkai visiting the village at first, but it seems to help."

"Oh?" Nikki asked confused.

"We were targeted because of obvious reasons, since he would come visit most youkai seem to avoid us more." Sango said with a shrug.

"Ah the power of the powerful," Nikki chuckled. "It's the same premise that no one attacks the castles, you don't want to piss off someone with strength behind them. That youkai might not be strong in particular, but obviously he's got friends in high places. In this case, you're powerful, but more so with a prince of a youkai visiting. On top of that, Kouga's the heir, they really won't come after you then." Sango looked at her surprised.

"It really works that way, even if he's not from that land?" Sango asked her surprised.

"Oh yeah," Nikki said as she thought about it. "Hierarchy works by scent and such, Kouga is obviously a prince of some kind. If they hurt him they're risking his father coming here and my father joining." Sango nodded as she thought about it. "And yes, my father knows he's been to see you guys. Some how, he knows all, supposedly." Sango chuckled with her as they sat in the room and fell in to a comfortable silence.

"Nervous?" Sango asked her curiously. Nikki sighed as she thought.

"Yes, and no," Nikki answered as she looked in the corner to see two chests waiting for her. Sango looked curiously as well. "My wedding clothes," Nikki explained as Sango nodded. "The seamstress made them last month."

"Is your ceremony set up like Kagome's was?" Sango asked her softly. They hadn't had much time to catch up, Sango's family had only arrived later that day.

"Yes, that's a common ceremony," Nikki answered with a nod. She pointed to the wall as Sango looked at her confused. Nikki smiled and shrugged as Sango rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Even through a wall you can tell he's awake?" Sango asked curiously.

"Oh yes, and I'm sure once he gets here, Kouga will know you're awake and not in bed," Nikki said with a laugh. Sango blushed and shrugged as she sighed and thought. "But as long as he stays well behaved, he'll have no trouble."

"Oh, he's having issues with that, but for the most part he's behaving himself." Sango said with a nod.

"As long as we're within my father's castle, Sesshomaru is under orders to behaving himself," Nikki said with a chuckle. Sango laughed a little. "So I think after the final course tomorrow, we will be leaving for our own castle." Sango nodded as she thought about it, made sense. No male youkai was going to agree to not mating during mating season if he could help it. Especially since they'd be in bed together this time tomorrow.

"Have you let Sesshomaru see you on your human night?" Sango asked her curiously.

"The last few months I have," Nikki answered with a nod. She had been nervous then too, but not this nervous. "It scared the hell out of me."

"Really?" Sango asked her surprised.

"Most youkai don't mate hanyou, a lot of youkai think mating a human is disgusting and that a hanyou is just disgraceful," Nikki told her as Sango nodded. "And while, yes Sesshomaru asked me, it still scared me to no end of what he would say or do. I'm weaker in certain ways on my human night." Sango just shrugged and figured it was just nerves more than anything, because everyone knows Sesshomaru isn't leaving Nikki willingly.

"They're coming back from their rounds," Nikki said softly as Sango looked at her surprised. "You should get back to bed, or I'll get lectured about how his delicate human female was exhausted because she got no sleep from Kouga." Sango blushed wildly and shook her head.

"I'm not his," Sango said shaking her head as she blushed. Nikki just smiled. "He hasn't asked me to be his and I'm not a possession." Nikki stood up and walked her to the door.

"And I'm not a princess," Nikki said with a chuckle as Sango looked even redder, if possible. "Good night, Sango." Sango moved towards her room as Nikki laughed a little, she hadn't teased Sango about Kouga yet, though Kagome apparently had gotten a few jabs in earlier. With a sigh Nikki climbed back into bed and closed her eyes, trying to will herself to sleep so that the faster she fell asleep the faster morning would come.


	2. Chapter 2

Mating Ceremoney

By Angel Dust

A SesshomaruxOC, InuyashaxKagome, KougaxSango fic. You've been warned!

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Inuyasha or any of the other characters or the original story line. I DO own my characters, they're as obvious as the nose on your face.

The mating ceremony of the reluctant princess and the ice prince.

Chapter 2

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><p>The next morning, bright and early, Nikki was disturbed by two maids. She complied as they escorted her to the baths to clean up. She sighed as the hot water wrapped around her cold and tired body like a blanket and warmed her. She had but a moment before the two assaulted her and scrubbed her down, stood her up, and dumped water on her that was much cooler than what was in the tub. They patted her down and wrapped her yukata around her tightly to warm her back up.<p>

"Princess, are you excited for today?" One of the maids asked her. She looked at the human girl who was probably a year or so younger than her, but no more than that.

"Yes," she said softly as they walked back to her room. "No face make up though today. I know, it's a tradition I should wear it, but it's rather horrible smelling and I'd rather not spend the day looking like something awful is under my nose." The girls nodded in agreement, they were certain she was pale enough without the paints.

They walked into the room, closed it up, though Sesshomaru was moved to another room further away so he couldn't try to spy on them. As the one girl helped her finish drying off and put on her undergarments, the other pulled open the first chest and started to take out her shiro. She smiled as they put the kimono around her and worked on her obi. They worked on her hair and soon they had her completely dressed up and were slipping her shoes onto her feet.

"You look to beautiful," the one maid said happily. "We are so happy to see this day, princess." Nikki smiled at them shyly and allowed them to take her to a room closer to the entrance of the garden where they were holding the ceremony.

"I'm sure the princess is much more interested in getting out of this shiro and into her uchikake," the other maid said as they finished the last of the preparations. They pulled the white hood over her hair and handed her her purse.

"Alright, I think we're set," the first maid said happily. "Your kaiken and fan are tucked in the obi securely." Nikki smiled at them as they finished cleaning her up and making sure her kimono was clean.

Once signaled by someone in the garden, the two maids helped Nikki to her spot. She was highly unused to the shoes, which were also uncomfortable, and the kimono was hard to hold without them. She was very distracted by the beauty of the garden though. It was as if the garden itself knew what was going on, because all of the trees were budding or in bloom and shone with all the golden origami cranes hanging from the trees. Really it was more beautiful than she could ever believe.

As she turned and faced Sesshomaru, who seemed quite in awe of it all as well. She felt the familiar nervous butterflies as they faced the alter with the three cups of sake. Behind them, while barely noticeable, was a flea demon. He bowed deeply, as far as Nikki could tell, to them both.

"It is a great honor to be at the mating ceremony of the young Lord of the West," he said as he started. "My lord and lady, each cup before you represents three different aspects. The first, smallest represents love; you are not just binding yourselves in body but in mind and heart as well." He motioned to Nikki, who picked up the smallest of the cups and took three sips of the sake. It wasn't bad, but she could definitely tell she was not one to drink much. She handed and bowed the cup to Sesshomaru who repeated the three sips and put the cup back.

"The second, and slightly larger cup, represents wisdom. Wisdom not just in decisions made daily, alone and together, but to avoid the greatest of flaws; passion, hatred, and ignorance." He motioned the second cup to Nikki, who picked it up and once more took three sips. She bowed and handed the cup to Sesshomaru, who repeated and put the cup back. Nikki wanted to laugh, she could tell Sesshomaru was getting frustrated with how long the flea was taking with this ceremony, most were done by now.

"The final, and largest cup, represents happiness. May it bloom from today and grow with you through your lives together." He said and motioned for the final cup. Nikki repeated what she had done with the first three cups and then bowed and handed it to Sesshomaru, who also repeated for a final time.

With a little help from the two maids, who were close on hand, Sesshomaru pushed Nikki's kimono back. She removed his as well from his shoulder. At the same time the two bit each other on the shoulder, marking each other as their own. Everyone applauded again. And once everyone's clothes were correct on them they had a toast with Izayoi, Nishi, and Higashi and then everyone headed towards the dinning hall.

Nikki was taken back to her room, where they took the shiro off of her and quickly changed her into uchikake. Nikki marveled at the silvers, reds, violets, and blues; the colors of both houses. They were patterned all through out as cherry blossoms and various other flowers, but so beautifully she couldn't help but stare at it as the girls finished everything up.

"You are so beautiful, princess," one of the girls said excitedly. Nikki smiled her thanks to both girls.

"But no more gawking," the other girl said happily, "I'm sure Lord Sesshomaru is waiting to escort the princess to the meal." They helped her with some new, much more comfortable shoes and then led her out of the room to where Sesshomaru was waiting. As the two headed towards the celebration meal, the girls returned to the room to quickly pack Nikki's belongings since they were leaving that night for their own castle.

"You look beautiful," Sesshomaru said as they slowly walked towards the hall. Nikki smiled and blushed.

"You look absolutely wonderful, Sesshomaru," she said softly as he smiled at her. All through the ceremony he had been stony faced Sesshomaru, not an ounce of emotion on him. She hoped she didn't look like a nervous wreck. "How is your shoulder? I didn't hurt you, did I?" She grew worried, she had never bitten anyone like that before. Sesshomaru chuckled and shook his head.

"I am fine, mate," he said as she blushed at her new title. "I was hoping I didn't hurt you." Nikki smirked at him beneath her blush.

"Like that's going to happen," she said holding her head up. She laughed a little with him as they walked into the room to see everyone standing and waiting for them. The dining hall had been changed around and now there was a head table, where Nikki and Sesshomaru were to sit. A table below them was where their parents, Inuyasha and Kagome, and all of Nikki's brothers were to sit. Then all around were the tables for the various guests and such. Sesshomaru assisted Nikki as she sat down and smiled as her father looked back at her and seemed to get choked up.

They all had a wonderful time eating, all nine courses; chatting away with everyone, and just as a gathering together. After the eating there was a small bit of dancing as everyone was just too happy to separate. While they were all free to roam and gather together Nikki got the golden and rare opportunity to tease her brothers as they seemed to partner off, though she was quickly informed that only two were serious.

As the day ended and Nikki and Sesshomaru were ready to leave everyone gathered to wish them the best. Nikki hugged her father and all of her brothers goodbye, teasing Seiji and Shinta about announcements of mating ceremonies for them soon enough. Sesshomaru remained beside her and said his farewells as best he could without rushing them, he knew Nikki wanted this time with them, and he really did have the rest of their lifetimes together.

Everyone watched and waved as their carriage took off and the two were whisked away. After a very tumultuous two years, the two were finally able to have their happily ever after.

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><p>I'm sure someone's going to go, say what? I'm trying to hard with all the words and such. I actually did some research on the ceremony and such itself.<p>

San-san-kudo is a wedding tradition that goes as far back as the Edo period. I believe that is when Kagome ends up coming out of the well in the original series, I know they multiple times call it the Feudal Era and nothing more. I do know that both Shinto and Buddhist shrines perform this ceremony.

A shiro is a traditional white kimono worn during the ceremony, it's usually embroidered and the bride also has her hair up in fancy knots, is given golden horns to show she is obedient to her husband, and they are covered in a white hood. It's actually quite beautiful, I'm sure more modern than this the era I placed it, oh well. It is typically adorned with a small encased sword, a kaiken, and a fan in the obi and she carries a small purse. The uchikake is a patterned embroidered or brocade kimono worn for the reception.

The ceremony, the only thing I don't know is what is (if anything) said. So I improvised and thought it turned out great. :) I hope you enjoyed it and look forward to reading my other stories!


	3. Letter

Hello everyone!

I can't believe how many are still loving these stories! They're so old! Lol

When I originally wrote the Compass Ball trilogy I was not in the greatest of places, the princess and I have a few things in common. (now if only i could get me an inu youkai mate as well...)

After re-reading and reviewing the stories, I'm going to go through and re-do them. There will be changes but the stories themselves will have everything in them that they have now, the stories will not be changed in that sense, but like Mating Ceremony may have more chapters and details will be added to both Compass Ball and Daughter of the East, Lady of the West.

I hope you love the up coming changes!

Angel


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